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La Belle Époque

Les Siècles/François-Xavier Roth

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Les Siècles and François-Xavier Roth performing on stage

Les Siècles and their conductor François-Xavier Roth bring their extraordinary sonic textures and native sensibilities to evocative masterpieces of the French repertoire.

For this rare London appearance, the French orchestra and its founder François-Xavier Roth bring their special insight to music from their own country. Debussy’s revolutionary Prélude pulls us into the sensuous magical forest of the faun. Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé also carries us away into a vivid fantasy world of nymphs, shepherds and pirates. Written on her death bed, Lili Boulanger’s D’un soir triste is a powerful, unsettling work, and an important reminder of the tragic loss of an extraordinary talent aged only 24.

Using original instruments, Les Siècles’ performances are both meticulously historical and ‘powerfully fresh’ (The Times). Sounds come off the page in thrilling detail and we hear textures we never knew existed. Tonight will be no different: a chance to hear French music as you’ve never heard it before.

Tagged with: Classical music Barbican Presents

This performance will finish at approximately 9.40pm, including a 20-minute interval

Produced by the Barbican

Programme

Claude Debussy Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune
Carl Maria von Weber Invitation to the Dance (orch Hector Berlioz)
Lili Boulanger D'un soir triste
Maurice Ravel Daphnis et Chloé

Performers

Les Siècles
François-Xavier Roth conductor
London Symphony Chorus

Digital programme

Les Siècles and François-Xavier Roth performing on stage

Les Siècles/François-Xavier Roth

Les Siècles is an orchestra that has changed the way we listen to music of the 19th and 20th centuries. Tonight it and its founder François-Xavier Roth glory in the subtle soundscapes of masterpieces from their native France. 

Read the programme

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